UNITED STATES
The Supreme Court says yes to the abortion pill
The Supreme Court decided on April 21 to maintain – for now – access to the abortion pill, used for half of abortions in the country. Restrictions issued by lower courts, for example in Texas, are therefore suspended, offering respite to abortion rights advocates. “Poll finds 2 out of 3 Americans oppose banning abortion pills,” reads the website. National Public Radio. Even more annoying for the conservative camp: “A majority of Republican Party voters (55%) also oppose this type of law.”
BRAZIL
A relative of Lula resigns
Brazil’s national security official, General Marco Edson Gonçalves Dias resigned on April 19 after CNN Brasil aired surveillance camera footage taken inside the presidential palace during the January 8 riots in Brasilia. . We see this close adviser to President Lula – in charge of the personal security of the Head of State – interacting peacefully with demonstrators in the corridors of the palace. “General Dias had already lost his power and his prestige after the riots of January 8”, recalls the daily O Estado de Sao Paulo. The CNN Brasil scoop will have been the coup de grace.
UNITED KINGDOM
The Minister of Justice falls for harassment
He finally tendered his resignation on April 21. Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab was the target of an independent report accusing him of harassing civil servants. This close friend of Rishi Sunak has long been defended by the Prime Minister, who refused to dismiss him despite eight complaints of moral harassment. “The manner in which Raab resigned, and the manner in which that resignation was handled by the prime minister raises important questions about the government’s commitment to genuinely improving working conditions in its ministries,” point The Observer.
TUNISIA
Ennahdha party leader imprisoned
Rached Ghannouchi, the president’s main opponent, was imprisoned on April 20, three days after his arrest. The 81-year-old leader of the Islamo-conservative Ennahdha party is accused – according to his relatives – of “conspiracy against state security”.
“Over the past month, around 30 political activists, judges, lawyers and the head of a radio station have been arrested and charged with conspiracy against national security,” specify the site Middle East Eye. On April 19, the European Union and the United States expressed their concern at what Washington describes as “escalation”.
SUDAN
Foreign nationals evacuated
A week after the start of an open war between the two strong men of Sudan which left at least 420 dead, around twenty countries began, on April 22, the evacuation of their nationals. Complex operations given the chaos in the capital, Khartoum, where the bombings are almost permanent. “Monitoring group NetBlocks said Sudan was going through an ‘internet blackout’, with connectivity at 2% of usual levels, which could seriously hamper aid coordination for those who remain trapped in Khartoum and in other cities”, bring it back BBC.
CHINA
An ambassador is controversial
By questioning the sovereignty of post-Soviet nations, on April 21 on the LCI channel, the Chinese ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, caused an outcry in Europe and forced Beijing to a laborious backpedal, three days later. For the New York Times, “the recent rhetorical pirouettes of Chinese diplomats […] suggest that Beijing is still struggling to find a balance between courting European leaders and supporting Russia, with which it has declared an unlimited partnership.
NORTH-KARABAKH
New provocation from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan installed on April 23 a “border post” at the entrance to the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. A decision described as “unacceptable” by Yerevan. “Nagorno-Karabakh has been under Armenian control since a war that followed the collapse of the USSR, recalls Politico. However, setting up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor would put an end to its de facto autonomy.” Since December, this vital axis has also been blocked by so-called Azerbaijani environmental activists, who claim to oppose the exploitation of a mine in the area.